Thanks to the Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this eARC.

A refreshingly candid and psychologically astute guide to modern leadership, You're the Boss is Sabina Nawaz’s answer to the silent struggles of high performers turned managers. With decades of executive coaching experience and a sharp eye for behavioral patterns, Nawaz delivers a playbook for navigating power, pressure, and people with grace and impact.

- Power and Pressure: Nawaz’s central thesis is that the very traits that propel individuals to success—perfectionism, boundary-blurring, assertiveness—can become liabilities when amplified by leadership roles.

- Self-Awareness Without Reinvention: Rather than advocating for personality overhauls, Nawaz offers rail-guard strategies to help managers anticipate and mitigate common pitfalls.

- The SEAM Between Performance and Leadership: Nawaz’s approach is rooted in behavioral psychology and real-world coaching data, emphasizing how to collapse emotional distance, manage stress, and communicate with clarity.

The book is divided into digestible chapters, each addressing a specific leadership challenge—from managing feedback and navigating team dynamics to balancing ambition with empathy. Nawaz’s writing is direct, empathetic, and grounded in case studies from her work with executives at Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and the United Nations.

Each chapter includes:
- Real-world anecdotes
- Actionable strategies
- Reflective prompts
- Behavioral insights backed by research

Nawaz writes with the authority of someone who’s coached Fortune 500 leaders and the humility of someone who’s seen them falter. Her tone is neither prescriptive nor idealistic—it’s pragmatic, compassionate, and deeply human.

You're the Boss is more than a leadership manual—it’s a mirror held up to the modern manager. Whether you’re newly promoted or seasoned in the C-suite, Nawaz offers tools to lead with integrity, reduce stress, and empower others. It’s ideal for readers who value emotional intelligence, behavioral insight, and practical transformation.

One of the best books, on how to be a “manager”/“supervisor”, I’ve read in a long time. I have a masters degree in management so this is a field I’ve had more than a casual interest in, and have read a lot of material on how to be a good manager, and this is one of the best modern books available. It’s written in a way that gives practical tips and useful information on the expectations of today’s workforce and how to handle them. From the day I started reading it I became a better, more understanding, and sympathetic manager with a greater ability to listen to my staff and know how to respond to them and still have the company its goals accomplished. I was given a free electronic copy and then ended up buying the hard cover so I could re-read it and make notes.

Requested this because unfortunately I work in corporate America and thought this would be innovated and include at least something I could takeaway. But unfortunately, it did not.

Excellent study in management and leadership. All examples were relatable, and I saw either myself or other leaders in each of them. Well written, easy to read, and well organized for future reference. Highly recommended for anyone in a position to influence outcomes in their organization, no matter their rank.